Presbyterian Border Ministry (PBM) began in 1984 as a joint venture of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana de Mexico (INPM) Presently, it provides oversight for seven bi-national mission sites along the 2000 mile Mexican-United States border, a border inhabited by about 10 million people.

Mexicans have been moving to their country’s northern border in very large numbers because of availability of steady jobs and relatively higher wages in the maquiladoras (multinational assembly plants) as well as the deterioration of the agricultural industry. Rapid population growth along the border, especially since the passage of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) has totally outstripped Mexican border cities’ capacities to meet the infrastructural needs (drinking water, sanitation, roads, electricity, security) of its ever-increasing population.

In response to the Third World conditions which prevail in large portions of these border cities, PBM has established seven bi-national mission sites: Proyecto Amistad (Eagle Pass, TX/Piedras Negras, Ciudad Acu ña Coahuila); Laredos Unidos (Laredo, TX/Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas); Puentes de Cristo (Mc Allen, TX/Reynosa, Tamaulipas); Frontera de Cristo (Douglas, Arizona/Agua Prieta, Sonora); Compañeros en Misión (Nogales, Arizona / Nogales, Navojoa, Caborca, Guaymas, Hermosillo, Sonora); Pueblos Hermanos (San Diego, California/ Tijuana, Baja California); and Pasos de Fe (El Paso, Texas/Ju árez, Chihuahua). These missions are staffed by United States and Mexican Presbyterian ministers, laypeople, doctors, nurses, and volunteers. The primary focus of the PBM missions is evangelism and new church development, preventive health, nutrition, and vocational education. PBM seeks to build bridges of understanding between our two cultures; for example an estimated 2,000 US citizens come to the border to experience mission first hand each year.

Covenant principles adopted by the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana de Mexico establish guidelines for mission jointly conducted by our two churches. Each border program is directed by a local committee composed of an equal number of representatives from each country.

PBM is a Validated Mission of the PC (USA) and is a 501(c3) non- profit charitable mission organization with a bi-national Board of Trustees incorporated to support Presbyterian mission work along the border. PBM is governed by the Presbyterian Border Ministry Council, a bi-national board of representatives chosen by the Presbyterian Church, USA and the Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana de Mexico (National Presbyterian Church of Mexico).

Historical Timeline of Presbyterian Border Ministry
Historical Overview of the Mexican Presbyterian Church
Organizational Chart